Paulo Thiago vs. Martin Kampmann
The fight was a tremendous upset and probably the best fight for Martin Kampmann in his UFC career thus far. The fight was only the second loss in Paulo Thiago's storied career. The Fight The first round began. They circled. Four thirty-five. They circled. Four fifteen. Kampmann landed a straight right as Thiago came in. Four minutes as Kampmann landed a jab. Kampmann landed a counter straight right AGAIN. Kampmann landed a jab. Three thirty-five. Kampmann landed an inside leg kick. Thiago landed a leg kick and ate another counter straight right. Kampmann landed a leg kick with three fifteen. Kampmann landed another straight right and an inside leg kick with three minutes as well. Kampmann with good head movement. Kampmann missed a body kick. Two thirty-five. Kampmann landed a jab and another. Kampmann landed a leg kick, Thiago tried a single grabbing it and Kampmann stuffed it with two fifteen. Kampmann landed an inside leg kick. Kampmann blocked a high kick and dodged another with two minutes. One thirty-five as Kampmann dropped Thiago with a straight right and turtled him up. Kampmann kept defending a single. 'Get your hips away!' He landed a hammerfist in under. One fifteen as Kampmann stood trying to break, and Thiago got a trip with that single to guard. Kampmann was working for an arm-in guillotine immediately though. One minute remainining. Kampmann turtled Thiago back up and sprawled a single. Thiago got a throw and turtled Kampmann up, tried a D'arce and they stood to the clinch with thirty. Thiago worked for a double and a single. Kampmann turtled him up with a guillotine. He had it tight, an anaconda with fifteen. Thiago turtled up. Kampmann had another power guillotine from side control. The first round ended regardless though. The second round began. Kampmann missed an inside leg kick. Kampmann landed a jab. Four thirty-five as Kampmann landed a leg kick. Four fifteen. Four minutes. Kampmann landed a leg kick. Thiago missed an uppercut and landed a left hook in an exchange. Probably his best shot. Thiago landed a leg kick. Three thirty-five. Kampmann landed a straight right and they clinched. Thiago was defending a hip toss. They broke and Thiago missed an uppercut and a trio of haymaker rights. Three fifteen He had a swelling under that right eye. Kampmann landed an uppercut moving forward. Thiago shot in eating a straight right and turtled up with three minutes, Kampmann took the back with one hook. Kampmann was working for an arm triangle from the back. Beautiful. He had lost that hook, though. Two fifteen left. Kampmann landed a hammerfist. Kampmann had overunder control. Two minutes. Thiago went to side control and back to overunders. Kampmann was outclassing him. Thiago worked for a kimura from the bottom. One thirty-five as the crowd booed for whatever reason. One fifteen. Thiago kept working for that kimura but as Rogan noted, he wasn't controlling Kampmann's body besides that one leg with his leg. One minute. Big boos coming for whatever reason, as the chess match continued. Thiago yanked it out and used it as a sweep to side control with thirty-five. Thiago missed an elbow. He worked to mount but Kampmann had an underhook. He stood with fifteen to the clinch, he kneed the face twice. He dragged Thiago down and turtled him up with a failed guillotine. The second round ended. The third round began. Kampmann landed a jab. Thiago blocked a high kick. Thiago landed a left hook slightly, more blocked than anything. Four thirty-five. Thiago missed a big right and ate a jab and they clinched. Kampmann defended a body lock. He got one himself to guard with four fifteen. Four minutes left. Kampmann landed body shots. Kampmann postured up. He dodged an upkick. He came down to half-guard with three thirty-five. Kampmann had an arm triangle almost mounting. He almost had the back now working for it. Three fifteen. Three minutes. Kampmann had the full back. Thiago shook him off and stood to the clinch. Kampmann turtled him up and pulled him around to half-guard and landed four lefts in under with two thirty. Wow. He turtled Thiago up again. He landed a pair of rights in under. He turned and took the back with two fifteen. He landed a big knee to the face and put Thiago back down to side control with two minutes working for a D'arce. Thiago regained half-guard. Kampmann had the back again. One thirty-five. Thiago stood eating a knee to the body and they broke. Thiago landed a big right and shot for the double with one fifteen, Kampmann stuffed it and came on top to half-guard with an elbow with one minute Kampmann worked for another arm triangle. He mounted with it. He almost had the back again, he did with thirty-five. He worked for that arm triangle and turned to side control with it with fifteen left. That arm triangle was tight. Thiago stared at the clock. The third round ended. Kampmann had the dominant unanimous decision.